CAUT Statement on the National Day of Mourning 2016

On April 28, the Canadian Association of University Teachers will join with unions and employee associations across the country in marking the 25th anniversary of the National Day of Mourning in recognition of workers killed or injured on the job.

This year, we will reflect in particular upon those who have fallen ill or have died as a result of exposure to asbestos on university and college campuses. Many campus buildings were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s, a period when asbestos was widely used. The construction and renovation of these buildings has meant that many CAUT members have been exposed to asbestos.

On this Day of Mourning, CAUT urges the federal government to enact a ban on asbestos mining, the production and use of asbestos, and the export and import of raw asbestos and asbestos products.